Adapter for coin slide



Oct. 8, 1963 M. A. HALL 3,106,278

ADAPTER FOR COIN SLIDE Filed Jan. 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1- illlllflli llll (ii-HI) INVENTOR. MITCHELL A. HALL ATTORN Oct. 8, 1963 M. A. HALL 3,106,278

ADAPTER FOR com SLIDE Filed Jan. 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

----- 48 i F I 36' I 68 66 so 32 ;6 3 70 I F 7/) l 151151 f I"I g 40 IIHII INVENTOR. MITCHELL A. HALL Oct. 8, 1963 M. A. HALL 3,106,278

ADAPTER FOR com SLIDE Filed Jan. 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2 Z/j/l/l LI l2. 0 2 f: 9u.9 If%u 6 INVENTOR.

MITCHELL A. HALL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,106,273 ADAPTER FOR COIN SLIDE Mitchell A. Hall, 445 Rossford Ave, Fort Thomas, Ky. Filed Jan. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 165,469 18 Claims. (til. 194--92) This invention relates to a coin-controlled actuator.

Devices of the type herein referred to may be employed to initiate operation of machines for dispensing goods or services, upon deposit of proper coins or tokens. Common examples of such machines are clothes washers and driers, automatic phonographs, and dispensers of cigarettes and other commodities.

Due to changes in commodity prices and service costs, or for other reasons, it sometimes becomes necessary to adapt the actuator for acceptance of a greater or lesser number of coins of a given denomination, for effecting actuation of a dispensing machine. Assuming, for example, a clothes drier equipped with a coin-controlled actuator designed to accept nickels, it may sometimes be desirable to extend the drying period, with a correspon ing increase in the number of nickels required for initiating operation of the clothes drier. Adaptation of the coin-controlled actuator for meeting the changed conditions accordingly is required, and constitutes one of the objectives of the present invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of a simple and highly dependable nature, for altering the coin-acceptance characteristics of a coin-controlled actuator, particularly as to the number of coins required for performing actuation of a machine controlled thereby.

A further object is to-provide means for the purpose stated, which will effectively defy efforts to obtain free play, or to jam the mechanism with intent to commit vandalism.

Another object is to provide means for the purpose stated, which may be quickly and easily adapted to new coin requirement conditions, with substantial savings of time, labor, and parts costs.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a coin-controlled actuator embodying the present invention, the actuator being shown in the slide-retracted or inoperative condition.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the actuator,

. showing the coin slide advanced as far as it may move without coin insertion.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the coin slide advanced slightly beyond the FIG. 3 position, as

made possible with a proper coin insertion.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, with the coin slide fully advanced.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing the slide partly retracted from full advance position, to initiate movement of an index wheel.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6, showing the slide i partly retracted to complete a cycle of rotation of the 3,196,278 Patented Oct. 8, 1963 A mounting plate 20 integral with housing 10- serves to mount the assembly upon an'upright panel (not shown), which prevents access to the mechanism at the right of plate 1%, by persons who are to manipulate the slide at the handle end. The housing 10* includes the usual coin-testing expedients ordinarily associated with such devices. At 22 the housing carries a pivoted dog or ratchet member urged by a spring 24 onto ratchet teeth carried by the slide, for preventing retraction of the slide after a coin has been accepted by the testing devices, this being for the purpose of precluding such slide manipulation as might be resorted to for cheating the machine or obtaining free play. The features above mentioned are of no concern to the present invention, and need not therefore be described in detail.

The inner end 18 of the slide has fixedly mounted thereon, as by means of screws 24', an indexing device the function of which is to predetermine the number of full advancements of the slide required for actuating a dispensing machine delivering goods or services. Such dispensing machine may be a washer or drier of clothes, or perhaps a dispenser of cigarettes, sandwiches, or the like. It is considered sufficient for the purpose of this disclosure, to indicate in FIG. 9 a lever or finger 26 movable by an element 23 of the indexing device, for starting operation of the dispensing machine for delivery of goods or services. That is, wheneverthe element 28 assumes an upright position :as in FIG. 9 or FIG. 7 (as contrasted with FIG. 2), a rearward advancement of slide 12 will cause element 2.8 to strike and move the starting lever or finger 26 for dispensing of goods or services.

It may here be noted that some, but not all full advancements of the slide, will result in actuating the dispenser lever or starter 26'. In other words, several full advancements of the slide 12, each accompanied by a coin, may be required in order to bring about a single dispensing movement of lever or starter 26. In some cases, the element 26 may be an electric switch requiring actuation in order to effect release of goods or services delivered by the dispenser.

The indexing device carried by the rear end of the coin slide may comprise a normally fixed platform 39 screwed as at 24' to the slide in spaced substantial parallelism therewith. At its forward end, the platform may carry a pair of spaced depending ears 32 providing for the pivotal mounting of the interceptor element or post 28 thereon. The interceptor element may comprise a rigid metallic strap or plate bent transversely at right angles, to provide the post section 28 and the underslung body portion 34, the latter carrying outwardly extending pintles or studs 36 engaging perforations in the cars 32 to pivotally and rockingly support the body 34. The interceptor element thereby may assume either of the positions indicated at 28 in FIGS. 9 and 2.

At the [forward edge 38 of interceptor body 34 there is formed an upwardly and rearward-1y turned tongue 40, Whose free end 42 overlies the platform 30 at a distance therefrom, to serve as a cam follower establishing rocking movements of the interceptor 28-34 about its pivotal mounts 36. When the cam follower 42 is uninfluenced by a cam later to be described, follower 42 assume the FIG. 2. posit-ion, at which the parts 34 and 28 by reason of their weight, rest upon the end portion 18 of the coin slide. In this position of inoperativeness, the upper end of post 28 will pass beneath the lover or finger 26 (FIG. 9)

. when the coin slide is reciprocated, thereby to have no ment of the slide to the right in these drawing views.

operating effect upon part 26. However, when post 23 is erected as in FIG. 9, it will strike and move the part 26 upon a full advancement of the slide.

An indexing wheel is indicated at 44. This wheel has a hollow central hub 47 bushed as shown, and adapted to rotate upon a shaft or screw 49 anchored in platform So at the location 56. The hub 47 is spaced from cam foll wer 42, and may carry one or more resilient cam members 46, 43, adapted to contact and move the follower 42 and its associated parts 34 and 23 as the indexing wheel is rotated. FIGS. 6 and 7 show positions of the indexing wheel at which the follower 42 is free of camming influence, and subject to carnming influence, respectively. These views show also the lowering and raising effect upon post 26.

When the post 28 is erectile as in FIGS. 7 and 9, it can be nevertheless rocked to the lowered position of FIG. 2 if necessary, due to the resilient nature of cam 48 pressing against follower 42 (PKG. 7). Such displacement of the post 28 may occur when, in retracting the coin slide, the finger or lever 26 is in its path of movement. When retracting the coin slide while post 23 is raised, the post will strike lever 26 and be forced thereby to a lowered position, but will immediately resume the erectile position after passing lever 26. Then, upon reversing the direction of the slide movement, which will be to the right, the post 23 will strike and move lever 26 to the right for actuating or initiating action of the dispensing machine.

Cams 46 and 43 may be formed of spring metal straps or leaves so shaped that while one end of a leaf is fixed against hub 47 as at 52, the opposite or free end 54 will be spaced sufliciently from the hub to drive the follower 42 outwardly until body 34 strikes the underside of platform 36?, as in FIG. 9. in this position of body 34, the post portion 28 thereof is erect and cannot be moved further in counter-clockwise direction about its pivot means 36, due to impingement thereof against the platform 30. Disposition of the spring cams with relation to follower 42 is, of course, dependent upon rotation of the indexing wheel 44, whose hub carries the cams. The wheel is seecurely fixed upon hub 47.

Rotation of wheel 44 is by steps, each step being performed by a retractile movement of the coin slide 12. The wheel is provided with a number of peripheral ratchet teeth 56 equally spaced apart, and each including a radial abutment 58 to be struck by a fixed pawl element 60 upon each retraction of the slide. The pawl element 60 may be simply an upturned end (FIG. 2) of a metallic rod 62 adjustably secured to a binding post 64 by means of a screw 66, the post being fixed to the stationary housing or frame 16. Rod 62 has a limited degree of lateral flexibility, and may be adjusted lengthwise of the slide at binding post screw 66.

Whenever as in FIG. the slide 12 is retracted to the left, the indexing wheel assembly is moved bodily with it to bring a ratchet tooth 56 into engagement with pawl 60, rod 62 flexing sufficiently for the purpose. Further retraction of the slide causes the pawl to advance the indexing wheel rotationally a distance of one ratchet tooth, this condition being indicated upon FIGS. 6 and 7. The character 68 indicates simply a fixed guide to prevent the pawl 60 from slipping off the ratchet tooth prematurely. Pawl 6i having rotated the indexing wheel, the slide continues to draw the wheel assembly to the left or toward housing 10, causing the pawl to assume a relative position beyond the wheel, approximately as shown in FIG. 3, or perhaps farther spaced from the wheel, this being dependent upon the stroke of the coin slide and the binding post adjustment at 66.

By observing FIG. 3, it will readily be understood that shifting of the slide 12 in the opposite direction, that is, to the right, will cause pawl 69 to override the ratchet teeth according to FIG. 4, without rotating the wheel 4- 1, until upon full advancement of the slide the pawl 60 will assume the relative position of FIG. 5. Thus, a complete cycle of coin slide movement forward and back, has produced a single tooth rotation of Wheel 44 in one direction, counter-clockwise.

It may here be noted that wheel :4 (FIG. 9) rests upon a spring disc 65 which frictionally opposes overrotation of the wheel in the event of a rapid or sudden l retraction of the slide. A dog 76, pivoted at 72 upon the platform and urged toward the wheel by a spring 74, provides a positive means of preventing any clockwise rotation of the wheel by the overriding pawl, upon advancement of the slide to the right, as in FIG. 4.

in the example illustrated, the indexing wheel 44 has six ratchet teeth, so that six complete cycles of coin slide reciprocation are required for rotating the wheel a full turn. This means that six coins will have been inserted in the coin slide. As the wheel 44 carries two opposed cams 46d8, there will be two impulses delivered to the cam follower 42, with each full rotation of wheel 44. Accordingly, every third cycle of coin slide movement, forward and back, will result in a camming of follower '42 to elevate the post or element 28 as in FIG. 9, for engaging and moving the lever or finger 26 which initiates action of a dispensing machine adapted to deliver goods or services. Thus, with each half-turn of the indexing wheel, produced by reciprocating the coin slide through three complete cycles, with the aid of three coins, a dispensing operation initiated by movement of lever 26 will be achieved. The dispensing operation is initiated with every third movement of the slide to the right, or in slide advancing direction.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that by omitting one of the cams, such as 46, the dispensing operation will be initiated upon each full rotation of wheel 44, requiring six complete slide reciprocations aided by the use of six coins, or 36 cents rather than 15 cents, if the coins are nickels. Furthermore, the number of coins required for producing a dispensing action may be governed by an appropriate change in the number of ratchet teeth applied to wheel 44. Accordingly, the dispensing rate is seen to be very flexible, with the incorporation of only slight changes in the indexing wheel. Whenever a dispensing rate is to be changed, it is necessary only to substitute one type of indexing wheel for another, the wheels differing only in the number of ratchet teeth or the number of cams 46 applied thereto. This substitution may be quickly effected by removing the screws 24' and the platform 36 carrying wheel 44 and the components associated therewith, and replacing the assembly with one embodying the desired alterations.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the structural details of the device, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A coin-controlled actuator for initiating operation of a dispensing apparatus, comprising in combination, a slide having forward and rear end portions, and a housing supporting the slide for lengthwise reciprocation, means under the control of a coin for limiting movement of the slide to one advancement and one retraction as a cycle of slide operation for each coin, a contact member carried by the rear end portion of the slide and movable relative thereto between operative and inoperative positions, means for moving said contact member to operative position for initiating operation of the dispensing apparatus upon completion of a cyclic movement, and means for moving said contact member to inoperative position throughout a predetermined number of cyclic movements of the slide.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means last mentioned is mounted upon and movable bodily with the slide.

3. A coin-controlled actuator for initiating operation of a dispensing apparatus, comprising in combination, a slide having forward and rear end portions, and a housing supporting the slide for lengthwise reciprocation, means under the control of a coin for limiting movement of the slide to one advancement and one retraction as a cycle of slide operation for each coin, a contact member carried by the rear end portion of the slide and movable relative thereto, said member being normally displaced, and inoperative to initiate operation of the dispensing apparatus, and means responsive to a predetermined numing apparatus starter, comprising in combination, a slide having forward and rear end portions, and a housing supporting the slide for lengthwise reciprocation, means under the control of a coin for limiting movement of the slide to one advancement and one retraction 'as a cycle of operation for each coin, an intercepter element mounted for bodily movement with the slide, to strike and move the starter of the dispensing apparatus for initiating a dispensing operation thereof, means on the slide pivoting the interceptor element for movement to operative and inoperative positions into and out of intercept-ing relationship with the dispensing initiating part of the dispensing apparatus, stepping means carried by the slide for controlling disposition of the interceptor element to the operative and inoperative positions aforesaid, and means fixed upon the housing in position to actuate the stepping means incident to each cyclic reciprocation of the slide.

6. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the stepping means includes means to predetermine the number of slide reciprocations required for disposing the interceptor element to operative position.

7. A coin-controlled actuator for activating a dispensing apparatus starter, comprising in combination, a slide having forward and rear end portions, and a housing supporting the slide for lengthwise reciprocation, means under the control of a coin for limiting movement of the slide to one advancement and one retraction as a cycle of operation for each coin, an interceptor element mounted for bodily movement with the slide, to strike and move the starter of the dispensing apparatus for initiating a dispensing operation thereof, means on the slide pivoting the interceptor element of movement to operative and inoperative positions into and out of interceprting relationship with the starter of the dispensing apparatus, a rotatable indexing wheel on the slide, said wheel including a series of extending ratchet teeth for establishing step-rotation of the wheel, a pawl element fixed upon the housing positioned to engage one of the teeth and thereby move the indexing Wheel incident to each reciprocation cycle of slide movement, cam means on the indexing wheel, and a cam follower on the interceptor element to be struck by said cam means, for rock'- ing the interceptor element to the aforesaid operative and inoperative positions about the pivot means thereof, the cam means differing in number from the number 'of ratchet teeth on the indexing wheel.

8. The device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the ratchet teeth are so inclined as to effect step advancement of the indexing wheel only upon movement of the slide in the direction of slide retraction.

'9. A coin-controlled actuator for activating a dispensing apparatus starter, comprising in combination, a slide having forward and rear end portions, and a housing supporting the slide for lengthwise reciprocation, means under the control of a coin for limiting movement of the slide to one advancement and one retraction as a cycle of operation for each coin, an interceptor element mounted for bodily movement with the slide, to strike and move the starter of the dispensing apparatus for initiating a dispensing operation thereof, means on the slide pivoting the interceptor element for movement to operative and inoperative positions into and out of intercepting relationship with the starter of the dispensing apparatus, a rotatable indexing wheel on the slide, said wheel including a series of extending ratchet teeth inclined in a common direction about the Wheel, a pawl element fixed upon the housing in position to engage and move one of the ratchet teeth incident to each reciprocation cycle of slide movement, a resilient cam on the indexing wheel yieldable radially of the wheel, and a cam follower on the interceptor element to be struck by said cam, for rocking the interceptor element to operative position about the pivot means subject to yielding displacement in opposition to the force of resiliency of the cam.

10. The device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the combination includes a platform carrying the interceptor element and the indexing Wheel, and means for detachw ably fixing the platform upon the rear end portion of the slide.

11. A coin-controlled actuator for activating a dispensing apparatus starter, comprising in combination, a slide having forward and rear end portions, and a housing supporting the slide for lengthwise reciprocation, means under the control of a coin for limiting movement oi the slide to one advancement and one retraction as a cycle of operation for each coin, an interceptor element comprising an elongate body having at one end an upstanding post, and at the opposite end a cam follower, a fixed elevated platform on the rear end portion of the slide, and means pivoting the interceptor element upon one end of the platform for rocking movement of said element, to dispose the post alternatively to an elevated operative position for contacting the dispensing apparatus starter when the slide is reciprocated, and to a lowered inoperative position for bypassing said starter when the slide is reciprocated, the body of the interceptor element being disposed between the platform and the slide and limited in its rocking movements by said platform and slide, a rotatable indexing Wheel on the platform, said wheel including a series of extending ratchet teeth for establishing step-rotation of the wheel, a pawl element fixed upon thehousing positioned to engage and move one of the ratchet teeth incident to each reciprocation-cycle of slide movement, and a cam fixed on the indexing wheel for rotation therewith, to strike and move the cam follower of the intercept-or element for rocking said element from the lowered inoperative position to the elevated operative position aforesaid.

-12. The device as set forth in claim 11, wherein the cam on the indexing wheel is of sufficient resiliency to yieldingly hold the interceptor element in the operative position, subject to depression to the inoperative lowered position.

13. A coin-controlled actuator for activating a dispensing apparatus starter, comprising in combination, a slide having forward and rear end portions, and a housing supporting the slide for lengthwise reciprocation, means under the control of a coin for limiting movement of the 'slide to one advancement and one retraction as a cycle of operation [for each coin, an interceptor element comprising an elongate body having at one end an upstanding post, and at the opposite end a cam follower, a platform detachably fixe-d'to the rear end portion of the slide in spaced substantial parallelism, and means pivoting the cam follower end of the interceptor element upon one end of the platform, with the body of the interceptor element disposed between the slide and the plat? form, said body normally resting upon the slide with the post of the interceptor element assuming a lowered inoperative position to bypass the starter when the slide is recip-rocated, a rotatable indexing wheel on the platform, said wheel including a series of extending ratchet teeth, a pawl element mounted upon the housing positioned to engage and move one of the ratchet teeth upon each reciprocation cycle of slide movement, and a cam movable with the indexing wheel both bodily and rotationally, to strike and move the cam follower for rocking the post to an elevated operative position at which said post may strike and move the dispensing apparatus starter upon reciprocation of the slide.

14. The device as set forth in claim 13, wherein the combination includes means for varying the distance between the pawl element and its housing mount.

15. A stepping attachment for application to a coin slide adapted to actuate the starter element of a dispensing machine, said attachment comprising a platform for fixation to the rear end portion of the coin slide, an actuator post mounted upon the platform for movement from a lowered inoperative position, to an elevated operative position at which the post may intercept and strike said starter element, a rotatable indexing wheel rotatably mounted upon the platform, and including a series of extending ratchet teeth to be advanced in succession for rotating the Wheel upon reciprocation of the slide, a cam rotatable with the indexing wheel, and a cam follower associated with the post and movable by said cam for elevating the post to the operative starter-intercepting position following a predetermined number of slide reciprocations.

16. The device as set forth in claim 15, wherein the combination includes means for incorporating yieldability in the elevating movement of the post by act-ion of the cam.

17. A stepping attachment for application to a coin slide adapted to actuate the stmter element of a dispensing machine, said attachment comprising a platform, and means for detachably securing the platform in spaced relation to the rear end portion of the slide, an interceptor element comprising an elongate body having at one end an upstanding post, and at the opposite end a cam follower, means pivoting the cam follower end of the interceptor element upon one end of the platform, with the body of the interceptor element slung beneath the platform, a rotatable indexing Wheel rotationally mounted upon the platform with the periphery of the wheel adjacent to the cam follower, said wheel including a series of extending ratchet teeth engageable in succession for rotating the wheel upon reciprocation of the slide, a cam in the form of a resilient leaf spring fixed to the indexing wheel, with a free end of the spring projecting in the direction of the wheel periphery, said free end adapted to contact and move the cam follower upon rotation of the indexing wheel, to the extent of lifting the body of the interceptor element into contact with the platform and coincidentally elevating the post relative thereto.

18. The combination as set forth in claim 17, including means on the platform cooperating with the ratchet teeth to preclude rotation of the indexing wheel in one direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rhodes Apr. 2, 1935 Dooley Apr. 27, 1943 Smith Sept. 28, 1943 

1. A COIN-CONTROLLED ACTUATOR FOR INTIATING OPERATION OF A DISPENSING APPARATUS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A SLIDE HAVING FORWARD AND REAR END PORTIONS, AND A HOUSING SUPPORTING THE SLIDE FOR LENGTHWISE RECIPROCATION, MEANS UNDER THE CONTROL OF A COIN FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE SLIDE TO ONE ADVANCEMENT AND ONE RETRACTION AS A CYCLE OF SLIDE OPERATION FOR EACH COIN, A CONTACT MEMBER CARRIED BY THE REAR END PORTION OF THE SLIDE AND MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO BETWEEN OPERATIVE AND INOPERATIVE POSITIONS, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CONTACT MEMBER TO OPERATIVE POSITION FOR INITATING OPERATION OF THE DISPENSING APPARATUS UPON COMPLETION OF A CYCLIC MOVEMENT, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CONTACT MEMBER TO INOPERATIVE POSITION THROUGHOUT A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF CYCLIC MOVEMENTS OF THE SLIDE. 